NW Sports

Beavers host USC for Friday Night Game

by osubeavers.com

ORANGE UNIFORMS DEBUT: Oregon State’s orange uniforms will debut Friday night as part of the Athletics’ program rebrand process. During the offseason the Beavers re-beaved thanks to Nike, introducing a new brand in March. The new brand includes a new logo, plus several uniform combos. Football also sports three helmet designs. The Beavers wore a mostly all black uniform at home and all white on the road.

OSU vs. USC: The two teams have not met since a 36-7 Beaver victory over then No. 20 USC at Reser Stadium Nov. 20, 2010. OSU has won the last three played at Reser Stadium, the longest current road losing streak for the Trojans against a Pac-12 foe. Overall, USC has a 59-11-4 advantage in a series that dates back to a 1914 Thanksgiving Day game in Tacoma, Wash. That game was USC’s first ever contest played outside the State of California (originally scheduled for Corvallis) and was billed the “Belgian relief fund” - a drive fueled by World War I. The goal of that game was to raise $50,000 for the effort in a contest played at a 35,000-seat stadium. The two teams didn’t play a single game in Corvallis until the Beavers’ famous 3-0 win over then No. 1 USC Nov. 11, 1967. The nine previous “home games” for OSU were played in Portland. USC had a 26-game win streak in the series between 1968-99. The Beavers can claim ending one impressive streak that was owned by the Trojans, when they defeated then No. 3 USC 33-31 Oct. 28, 2006 – ending Troy’s 27-game then Pac-10 winning streak and 38-game overall win streak.

THE LAST USC GAME: Seven current Beavers played in the last meeting with the Trojans on Nov. 20, 2010. Michael Philipp started at left tackle. Defenders Rashaad Reynolds, Michael Doctor, Sean Martin and John Braun and offensive linemen Josh Andrews and Grant Enger came off the bench or played special teams. The Beavers built a 23-0 lead in that game (20-0 at halftime), highlighted by a Jordan Poyer 65-yard interception return for a score early in the second quarter. Then Beaver quarterback Ryan Katz passed for 154 yards and two touchdowns with running back Jacquizz Rodgers adding 136 yards and a score. Justin Kahut booted three field goals and tackle Stephen Paea made six tackles (2.5 TFL, 1 sack) and forced a fumble (his school record 8th) – both earned Pac-10 Players of the Week for their efforts.

ACCURATE PASSER: Quarterback Sean Mannion’s current 69.1 percent completion percentage (270-391) is on an OSU record setting pace for a single season. Sean Canfield in the 2009 season hit on 67.9 (303-446) percent and is the current record holder for a season. Canfield (2006-09) also holds the career completion percentage record at 64.1 percent (552-861) – Mannion is currently at a 66.1 percent (775-1173), the best among all active Pac-12 quarterbacks with a minimum of 425 pass attempts, and ranks 13th in the NCAA. He has had 19 passes legitimately dropped this season. He set a school record with 41 pass completions against Stanford earlier this season and is on a current run of 128 consecutive pass attempts without an interception.

NOT BAD FOR A JUNIOR:Sean Mannion has completed 775 career passes, which ranks second-best in the NCAA for junior quarterbacks behind Taylor Heinicke of Old Dominion (first-year FBS school) with 844 and eighth overall in the country. Mannion’s 9,037 passing yards is second for junior quarterbacks trailing only Heinicke’s 10,186, and also is eighth overall in the country for active quarterbacks. Mannion is the active leader in the Pac-12 for career yards with 9,037 (Keith Price of UW is second with 8,124). He is 17th overall in the Pac-12 record book for yards and will soon pass -- 16. Willie Tuitama (UA/2005-08/9,211); 15. John Elway (Stan/1979-82/9,349); 14. Erik Wilhelm (OSU/1985-88/9,393) 13. Andrew Luck (Stan/2009-11/9,430); 12. Jonathan Smith (OSU/1998-2001/9,680).